Catalina Headed DownUnder

[flynerd]

From the ABC.Net.Au www site...

http://i33.tinypic.com/oqdgyf.jpg

The Catalina that's flown into Darwin today wasn't used to defend Australia, but was found in Portugal and lovingly restored by a group of enthusiasts and the Sydney based Catalina Flying Memorial.
It uses 400 litres of fuel every hour in-flight and has cost more than $350,000 to restore and bring from Europe to Australia.
The Catalina flies to Cairns next and will travel down the east coast until it reaches a museum in Rathmines in New South Wales.
It's now the second operational Catalina in Australia, but the only one that can operate from the land and the water.
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I remember seeing these giants land and take off from the Swan river in Perth in the early 1950's.

[ICT_SLB]

Cairns is a particularly apt choice of alighting ground. I was impressed by the memorial at the waterside park.
http://i294.photobucket.com/albums/mm118/ksbadger2001/Cairns/DSC00363.jpg

With the plaque to 11 & 20 Squadrons, RAAF.
http://i294.photobucket.com/albums/mm118/ksbadger2001/Cairns/DSC00362.jpg

Hope you can post regular updates of their progress.

[Fris B. Fairing]

Try this thread on the D&G forums:

http://tinyurl.com/6dafbg

Rgds

[pigboat]

A little more info on the PB here (http://www.avcanada.ca/forums2/viewtopic.php?f=54&t=48395).

[Diesel Fitter]

In one of the most stunning example of mindless petty Oz bureaucrats at work, Australia Customs have hit the crew with a $15,000 bill.

The charity group which has brought a World War II flying boat to Darwin has to pay Australian authorities $15,000 in taxes.

The Catalina arrived in Darwin late yesterday afternoon as part of its journey from Portugual to a New South Wales museum where it will be a permanent reminder of the aircraft's role in defending Australia.

About 170 Catalinas flew behind enemy lines during the war to lay mines, undertake bombing runs, and do reconnaissance against the Japanese.

Most of them were based in Northern Australia and more than 300 airmen were killed flying them.

The charity group, volunteers, and museum have spent $350,000 restoring the aircraft and bringing it from Europe to Australia.

The charity's spokesman Phillip Dulhunty says raising the funds was an epic struggle that the group only just managed.

He says he is "shocked" to find out Australian customs want $15,000.

"It's another expense we hadn't allowed for and which we haven't got," he said.

"We hope that we might apply and try and get that back, but that's a bit doubtful I'm told."

The crew plans to fly to Cairns next and visit several WWII bases before reaching the museum.

Catalina crew hit with $15k tax bill - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) (http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/12/03/2436626.htm)

[tail wheel]

I doubt this is "mindless petty Oz bureaucrats at work", rather a result of Australian GST tax law in which the bureaucrats have no discretionary powers?

If the $15,000 is GST, surely they can obtain a full refund in their December BAS? :confused: